Electrical terminal



April 11, 1950 I H. A. MILQCHE 2,503,559

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Filed May 1, 1946 /Nl EN7'0R H. ,4. M/LOCHE AT TOR/VEV Patented Apr. 11, 1950 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Herman A. Miloche, Teaneck, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 1, 1946, Serial No. 666,259

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to electrical connectors and is particularly adapted to relay electrical terminals.

The great extent to which relays are used today requires a constant vigilance for means of obtaining a reduction of cost in connection with the installation or the maintenance of relay apparatus. Any new devices or apparatus which satisfy this problem by contribution to its solution are recognized in the art as being substantial advancements therein.

The present most commonly used type of relay spring contact terminal takes the form of an end extension of the spring contact, having a hole punched therein. The method of connecting an insulated wire to this terminal is, in short, to strip the insulation from this wire for about to back from the end, to thread the bare end through the hole in the terminal, to twist the free end of the wire back over the end of the terminal, to hold the wire while soldering the wrapped wire to the terminal and to snip oii the excess free bare wire beyond the soldered connection. In order to disconnect the wire, it is necessary to unsolder the bare wire and untwist it out of the hole. Succeeding connections and disconnections of the same wire would necessarily be made with a hindrance in the form of a shorter and a deformed wire.

There are some inherent problems presented by the above method which are all traceable to the type of terminal employed. It is always desired in this type of terminal connection to reduce the time and effort required to make such a connection, to eliminate tools, to facilitate successive connection and disconnection and to eliminate the wasting of wire due to the snipping operation and to eliminate the potential apparatus'trouble represented by these flying bits of wire, which are a prolific source of trouble in causing short circuits and other similar inoperative or defective conditions.

By the use of the old type of terminal. the maintenance operator must insert, twistand hold. By the use of the invention herein described, the operator making the connection need only insert, and requires no more time to insert than previously. Consequently, there is a considerable saving in time and effort in this respect alone.

By using the old type terminal a person, in order to make successive connections and disconnections of the same wire, is confronted with an ever'shorter wire due to the shipping operations and with an ever twisted and deformed end. Both of these conditions are conducive to making these successive operations more difficult. In addition, the shipping operation allows bits of wire to fly into adjoining apparatus as a potential threat to breakdown of that apparatus. The new terminal described herein requires no bending or twisting of the conductor and no shipping of loose ends and so not only prevents waste, but permits almost unlimited successive connecting and disconnecting of the same wire without deforming the wire or jeopardizing the operation of adjacent apparatus. In addition, the elimination of the snipping operation, of course, allows elimination of one tool required for the former type operation.

By the use of the old type of terminal, it is diflicult to disconnect one wire from the terminal when more than one have been twisted thereon and soldered thereto about each other. The use of the invention herein described makes this operation relatively easier, since the wires so connected or disconnected are so done substantially independently of each other. 7

All of the foregoing features and advantages, as well as others, will be apparent from the following detailed description which makes reference to the following drawing, a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an oblique view of the terminal with no attached conductors;

Fig. 2 illustrates one insulated conductor in proper connection to the terminal, showing a soldered connection of the conductor to the body of the terminal;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the illustration in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 indicates the type of cuts necessary to be made in a blank in order to form such a terminal as illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 3 along the direction A-A, with the conductor removed, showing the general nature of the cross-section of the terminal;

Fig. 6, solid lines, indicates the result of the first required folding operation in making the terminal of Fig. 1 from the cut-out blank of Fig. 4, the dotted lines indicating the bending of the finger portions, which may be done at the time of punching out the blank, as in Fig. 4; and

Fig. '7 shows the invention employed in its preferred manner as an integral part of a relay spring contact.

InFig. 4 it is seen that from a strip of resilient metal, such as standard relay spring contact material I, the extremities of which strip being designated by the dotted lines, a number of portions have been cut away by means of a suitable punch and die combination. There remains a.

strip portion I having ears 2 and 3, which ears have end extensions 4 and 5, respectively, which extensions are substantially parallel to the strip portion and separated therefrom laterally by respective slots 6 and 1 whose bottoms 8 and 9 each form a side of one of the ears 2 and 3. Portions HI and, arecut from eitherof theoutside edges of theiearextensionsi'4 andii, as indicated by the indents l2 and L3; respectively. Two other ears l4 and I5 are formed respectively, when slots l6 and I! of strip material l are cut, the bottoms l8 and Hi of which Slot/S lls anal-:1. H are separated by a greater distance than the width of the strip portion 'A cut-o'ut. I portion 20 provides edges 2|, 22 and 23.1': v

Fig. 5 illustrates the cross-sections obtained when the ears ,2 and 3 are Wrapped to meet' 'above I the plane of the strip portion and when-the: ears I4 and I5 are wrapped in the same sense to meet above the plane of the strip portion and in the sameplane as the 'ears Z'and 3: Thiscross section=-is shown and -preferred*as somewhat tubularyapproaching a rectangle:

Fig-6, in solid linesyis aside view'of the result of the aforementioned wrapping operation 'I-Iere "2 it is noted that the edges 2|, 22 and '2'3,'"'formed*"" by the -cut--out-portion*20 in Figi-" producea slanting-end cross-sectionof the'tubuiar p01 tion; The 'ears l4 and 2- are shown-in the sameplaneabove-the plane-of the stripporti'on withthe end'--extensions 4- and'S alsoin -the-'same" planeas the ear 2, ears |5 and-3 being hidden"" from view by ears M and 2; respectively, and end extension 5 of ear 3 being hidden by'end exten sion-4 of ear-2.-

Fig 6; in dotted-lines, shows a'-'declinedportion 24 bent at point 25 on endextensio'n 4" of ear2 toward the strip portion but not-touchingthe stripportion leaving "a space'26 between t'he edge=21 of the 'declined portion'24 "and-the'strip 4' portion L The declined-portion ofend'extem sion 5 of ear 4 is hidden from view' by the portior'r'" 24. These-fingers '40 and-2'4 may; as previously mentioned, be bent'when'theblank'of Figi'4 is cutw 4 Fig. 1 is an oblique view of a completed term inal;--"as previously described." *In this disclosure the ears l4 and I5, andZand '3- do not-rneet but retain separations as 28 and 29, respectively. A firmer terminal will-'e'xist-if the -separations 283 and '29 do not exist. *The portion's'd'fi and-1|" cutaway from the blank I, as shown in- Fig'f' i; will provide separation 30 on Figsil; 2'and-5 whichds 1 wider than'that of 28 or 29. I 'theoa-se'where separations 28 and 29 do not existfthe separa- 55 tion 36, being wider thaii either -Qf the""f0rrher"'--" separations; will insure free movement of fingers 24 and 28. -Edges 3| and2l df thedeclined'por' Lions-40 and 24 declined at 3B and-2*5 fromthe extensions 5 and 4 of ears 3 and 2' do not mum "3 the strip'portion as showrr'by the-separations 39 and 26. "Edge-'32 is the bottomof the slotfi" ci1t-"* in the blank=per Fig."4.- Edges ta and Hi are'at-""" a level between the'planeof thestrip'portion-H andthe plane'of ears I4, i5, 2 and 3"since; a's "'65 explained-with reference" to Fig.4, the'd stance between edges l8 and" 18 of Fig.- 4 wasgreater than the width of the stripportionl; 4

In Figs. 2 and 3 an insulated conductor 33 (which may have a' cross-section of anyshapeVfio has been'stripped of its insulation34 backto'a' point 35, sufiicient'to allowtheend36 oi? 'oon ductor 33 toextend'beyondtlie"edge 3| of the declined-portion 40 and toallow; the point to which theinsulation' 34 was-cutback; to rest""75 5 tionwith -the a against the slanting end of the tubular portion formed by edges 2|, 22 and 23. The end 36 of the conductor 33 is inserted into the tubular portion at the slanting end, so as to extend to the left and beyond the edge 3| of the declined portion by forcing its way underneath the edge 3| from right to left against-the resilient tensionifl this portiorfllll, the 'spacing 39 'beirfg less than the diameter of the conductor 33. The portion40 will be strong enough in resilient tension to hold the conductor 33 in position while condilemmas soldered to the body of the terminal at 31, but willnot be so strong as to deform or injure the' conductof 'while being inserted or removed} Fig. 3 shows that when conductor 33 is extending under edge '3-|"of declined portion 40, the declined portion 24 of end extension 4 of ear 2 is in its normal position and capable of allowing a second conductor to be connected to the terminal a similarbutsubstaritlally' independent manner as that "described above for conductor 33.

Thepur'pose" or 'the' "slaritihgf enrrorin'ea -15 edgest'Zl, 22 and 23 isto facilitatetheinjecting of the end 36 of'the'conductor 33 into membrane portion 7 Fig. illustrates'theinvention employed as an; integral part-of relay spring contact-{nieinbr' f In this'embc'dim'entbfthe inventioii;'theterniiiia elements are punched out at fine-same amas -the? spring=contactmember is'inadef It is withiiithef scop'eof this invention to employ "the terminates a separate pieceof mannams:suc sgthat showfi" in Fig. l, and'attach itto another piec'etz zippe ratus by spot welding-orasimilar method. I I

The scope be the invention is not-limitedt'o' the embodiment described in this specification and drawingsfsinceobviousvariatibns-thereiroirifii'ayf be produced withoiitfdpartingfrorn'thespirit? of thisinventi'ona" The' 'following clai'rri'sdeterr'nih the lilnits' 'of' thscop' of this invennmi.-'

What is olaimed i'st 1. A fiat' 'strip portion-comprising' tion having alt lea t 'one='ea'r'-forrifing ehd of said strip--portioh cylindrical 'cross-sectiori bf said s'trip' portibii comprising two substantially parallehfiat side connected by a curved'sid sail? ear iri'liid'ihh I flat resilientfingmportion extending as a can'ti llever beyond the "said' eylmdneersecncnand do Curlew-toward the said -"s'trip portionjthe sa declined 'end 'of said fingefl' portioirincluding 1 sharp edge' fpr -gripping a conductor ex-madma into and through said cylindric'al section;

2. A fiat strip portion comprisi'ng"anend-poi tion having two eais; e'ach'eai' located on*al-latera'Y-' edge :of' said end* portion=* and l'ocated lateraLllW opposite the other-of said ears-each" 'of said ears'-"- forming in cooperation with the ear -end'bf said" strip --portion a -cylindri'cal 'cross' section-of saidstrip portion comprising two"substantially-pziral lel flat sidesconnected by'a curved 'sidepthe lateral edges of saidearsdocated adjacentto W each- -other -each ofsaid' ears 'including a flat' resilient fingerportionextending as i a cantilever beyond'the said-cylindrical section and declined toward the said strip portion the said -declined end of said finger-portion inoludinga sharp edge for gripping aconductor extendinginto-anti through saidcylindrical section andbetween salddeclined endpfsaid-finge'r portionand said strip portion, "the declined end of said'finger portionbeing separated-normally from the said strip portl'o'n' by a "distance less than-the diameter (its'aid "coiidu'ctoi'fi 3. A flat strip portion comprising an end portion having two ears, each ear located on a lateral edge of said end portion and located laterally opposite the other of said ears, each of said ears forming in cooperation with the ear end of said strip portion a cylindrical cross-section of said strip portion comprising two substantially parallel fiat sides connected by a curved side, the lateral edges of said ears located adjacent to each other, each of said ears including a flat resili nt finger portion extending as a cantilever beyond the said cylindrical section and declined toward the said strip portion, the said declined end of said finger portion including a sharp edge for gripping a conductor extending into and through said cylindrical section and between said declined end of said finger portion and said strip portion, the declined end of said finger portion being separated normally from the said strip portion by a distance less than the diameter of said conductor, and each of said ears having an aperture therein opening on an edge of said ear other than an end edge thereof, by reason of which aperture said conductor may be soldered, or other similar process, to the said cylindrical section.

4. A fiat strip portion comprising an end portion having two ears, each ear located on a lateral edge of said end portion and located laterally opposite the other of said ears, each of said ears forming in cooperation with the ear end of said strip portion a cylindrical cross-section of said strip portion comprising two substantially parallel fiat sides connected by a curved side, the

lateral edges of said ears located adjacent to each other in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said strip portion, each of said ears ineluding a flat resilient finger portion extending as a cantilever beyond the said cylindrical section and declined toward the said strip portion, the said declined end of said finger portion including a sharp edge for gripping a conductor extending into and through said cylindrical section and between said declined end of said finger portion and said strip portion, the declined end of said finger portion being separated normally from the said strip portion by a distance less than the diameter of said conductor, and each of said ears having an aperture therein opening on an edge of said ear other than an end edge thereof, by reason of which aperture said con ductor may be soldered, or other similar process, to the said cylindrical section.

HERMAN A. MILOCHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,165,141 Sprong et a1 Dec. 21, 1915 1,451,548 Kreisheld Apr. 10, 1923 1,564,761 Daiker Dec. 8, 1925 2,061,961 Culver et a1. Nov. 24, 1936 2,158,004 Douglas May 9, 1939 2,257,317 Wade Sept. 30, 1941 

